Grand Village of the Natchez, Archaeological site with ceremonial mounds in Natchez, Mississippi, US
The Grand Village is an archaeological site with three reconstructed platform mounds from pre-contact times and a museum displaying artifacts and settlement information. Walking paths connect the mounds across the grounds and link to natural areas along a creek.
The site was built and expanded between 1200 and 1730 by the Plaquemine culture and later the Natchez people as a religious and ceremonial center. The mounds show how societies over centuries embedded their spiritual and social structures into the landscape.
The site reflects how Native American communities organized sacred spaces for spiritual gatherings and religious ceremonies. You can observe how the mounds and surrounding landscape served as a ceremonial center for the Natchez people.
The grounds are open for self-guided exploration of the mounds and museum at your own pace. Comfortable footwear helps since the walking paths are uneven and cover the entire property.
Excavations within the largest mound uncovered burials of 26 individuals, showing this location also served as a burial ground for community members. These discoveries confirm the mounds had multiple purposes beyond religious ceremonies.
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